'In math I was often wrong, and I knew it, and I was willing to accept it. That helps in writing: to know that you’re wrong a lot of times, and you have to accept it.

I think sometimes on the English side of the campus, we get to bullshitting a lot—we think if we could just talk ourselves around the thing it would become true. So I think [mathematics] helps me as a writer— I’m a good reviser because I can accept that I just didn’t get it; I need to go back and do it better. I’m a very analytical writer after I’ve got a draft.'